This invention relates to a method, system, and computer readable medium for delivering information on the location of a party to a call.
During the course of a telephone call, it may be that one party to the call wishes to convey his or her location to the other party. This could occur where, for example, a caller wished to order delivery of a product from the called party. Unfortunately, errors may be introduced in an address as a called party attempts to take down an address given by a caller and this could delay or derail product delivery. Additionally, where a caller was lost but able to get to a phone, the caller will not known his or her location but nevertheless wish to convey the location to another. Emergency service agencies (such as those reached by dialling 9-1-1) will typically have access to location information of a caller but such agencies are restricted to the provision of emergency services.
General Motors Corporation, under the trademark ONSTAR, has established a roadside emergency services system. Vehicles are provided with a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and a telecommunications device. A vehicle operator may press a button on the telecommunications device to establish a call to a customer service centre. The customer service centre also receives information from the GPS receiver as to the vehicle's location. While useful, the ONSTAR system is restricted to use by subscribers who are properly equipped. Further, there are limits on the services provided by the ONSTAR™ customer service centre.
Accordingly, a need remains for a party to a call to be able to provide location information to another party to the call.